Oral irrigators typically are used to clean a user's teeth and gums by discharging a pressurized fluid stream into a user's oral cavity. The fluid impacts the teeth and gums to remove debris. Often, the oral irrigator includes a fluid supply, such as a reservoir, that is fluidly connected by a pump to an oral irrigator tip, often through a handle. In some oral irrigators, water flow through the handle can be stopped only by turning off power to the irrigator. Other oral irrigators include actuators to pause fluid flow through the handle without turning off power to the irrigator, but these often include electrical circuitry within the handle and in close proximity to fluid conduits, which creates a safety hazard. Oral irrigators with such electrical actuators are also expensive to manufacture.
Toothbrushes are also frequently used oral hygiene devices. A variety of toothbrush designs exist including electro-magnetic and oscillating mechanical brushes. The different styles include their own characteristics. Electro-magnetic systems frequently have a relatively high production cost. There are also currently many toothbrushes that provide oscillating output brush motion from continuously rotating input drivers. Mechanically driven toothbrushes typically have a reduced manufacturing cost as compared to toothbrushes employing electro-magnetic drivers. However, such rotating systems all perform the oscillating function at speeds well below sonic level.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention as defined in the claims is to be bound.